Metallic materials are important for features of semiconductor fabrication. For example, refractory metals are important due to their low contact resistance. As used herein, refractory metals include, for example, Ti, W, Ta, Mo, various alloyed combinations and such metals with other trace metals as known in the semiconductor art. Additionally, important metals in the semiconductor field include “noble metals” including for example, Pt, Pd, Ir, Ru, Rh, Os, Ag, Au, various alloyed combinations and combinations with trace metals as known in the semiconductor art as long as such alloys retain the physical and chemical properties of noble metals.
Often during semiconductor fabrication formation of metal features includes deposition of metal followed by a removal procedure or planarization step. Such planarization techniques can include, for example, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), electromechanical polishing (EMP), or electro-chemical mechanical polishing (ECMP). However, conventional planarization techniques often provide incomplete planarization and/or formation of recess areas across a feature surface. It is desirable to develop alternative planarization techniques.